Emerging Artists Series 2013

- WINNER -

SYLVIA JIANG

Sylvia wins a cash prize of $1,000 and the opportunity to travel to Sydney to perform next year.

CD recordings simply numbered one to six (one CD for each recital) were couriered to the University of Otago in Dunedin for Professor Terence Dennis, Head of the School of Music, to adjudicate.

Professor Dennis remarks on the winning performance…

The candidate presented a very wide-ranging and challenging programme, and the performance displayed a sophisticated and consistent musical response throughout, with superb technical control, and a most impressive understanding of artistic nuance and subtlety of pianism.

And adds:

Congratulations to all the pianists for their highly impressive recitals, all were testaments to immense preparation and represent significant achievements.

Our congratulations to all performers. Thank you for participating in the Series. We hope you gained valuable experience to support your musical career.

Many thanks to Professor Dennis for providing his time, care and expert opinion. Thanks to the Schools of Music throughout New Zealand who forward nominations of their most promising students and many thanks to our appreciative Concert Club audience who keep coming back for recitals presented by these talented young musicians.

Finally, thanks to our loyal sponsors who offer the Lewis Eady Charitable Trust vital support. We recognise them here and encourage you to support them when you can.

Quang Hong Luu was born in October 1990 in Hanoi,Vietnam. He began learning piano in 1996, and entered the secondary level piano programme of the Vietnam National Academy of Music in June 1997 under the guidance of Professor Dr Tran Thu Ha. In 2007, Quang Hong Luu received a full scholarship at the Australian International Conservatorium of Music. He is studying in the piano undergraduate programme with Professor Kyunghee Lee.

Since 2008, Quang has won 1st prizes in competitions in Australia including the Sydney Eisteddfod: Kawai, Recital, Chopin and 19th Century piano awards, finalist of the Allison/Anderson Piano scholarship and 1st prize of the Lev Vlassenko piano competition in Brisbane. He has also performed with many different orchestras including Hanoi Philharmonic Orchestra, Vietnam national symphony Orchestra, Orchestra from Florence(Italy), Queensland symphony Orchestra, KOZY symphony Orchestra, Metropolitan Orchestra (Sydney). Quang received full scholarship to participate and perform at the Kirishima International music festival (Japan) 2011 where he studied intensively with world famous concert pianist Dang Thai Son for 2 weeks and perform at the Asia Orchestra Week festival in Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall in Japan 2012. Recently he was also invited as guest artist to perform at the prestigious Sun Aria vocal competition of Australia in August 2012 and was the winner of the Emerging Artists concert series in Sydney, sponsored by Theme and Variations piano service.

You can also book tickets and make a donation by phoning Lewis Eady directly on 09 524 4119.

Sylvia Jiang is a 16 year old St Cuthbert’s College student. She has been learning the piano from Mr. Qu Yong since she was four. Sylvia has won many piano competitions in New Zealand including solo, concerto and chamber whilst having also played with several orchestras. Her most recent notable achievement is being awarded the prize for the Best Performance of a Classical Work at the Indonesia Pusaka International Piano Competition in 2011, and winning the 2012 North Shore Competition Sonata Class and Margaret Doone Piano Sonata Scholarship.

Some other recent highlights include winning the Auckland Secondary Schools Piano Competition, gaining first place by playing Beethoven Second Concerto at the North Shore Performing Arts Competition, and winning the New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Chamber music competition in the Auckland region. She has also attained various Scholarships such as those awarded by the Institute of Registered Music Teachers of NZ and the Dame Malvina Trust.

You can also book tickets and make a donation by phoning Lewis Eady directly on 09 524 4119.

BIOGRAPHY:Sunny Cheng was born in Beijing, China in 1991. She began piano lessons at the age of 9, and was forced to stop learning at the age of 12 due to demanding academic requirements. In 2007 Sunny came to New Zealand with a strong desire to return to the piano. At the age of 16, she started studying under Judith Clark. She began her Performance degree in 2010 at NZSM, studying under Diedre Irons. She currently studies with Jian Liu.

Somi Kim, born in South Korea, Somi began her piano studies at the age of 8, and moved to New Zealand in 1997. After gaining the highest mark in New Zealand for her Trinity Grade 7 Piano Exam in 2000, she continued her tuition in piano with Val Hungerford until the start of her university years.

During her time at Westlake Girls High School where she was Head Music Prefect, she was a member of the award-winning choir ‘Key Cygnetures’. She was the leader of this choir for two consecutive years, gaining her ABRSM Diploma in Advanced Singing. Somi has sung at various European venues, also participating in the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival in Vienna, and the World Choral Symposium in 2008 held in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Somi has participated in various chamber groups over the years, reaching the national finals of the Secondary Schools in Chamber Music Competition in 2005, and in 2006 her piano trio ‘Farr from Russia’ was placed first in the competition. She has been a finalist in the Auckland Chamber Music Society Competition every year since 2009 in various ensembles, with her unique eight hands, two pianos ensemble ‘Estrella Quartet’ being awarded first place this year. They have played for international pianists Read Gainsford and David Lively in masterclasses both within and outside the University, including the New Zealand International Piano Festival. In 2011 they presented a complete eight hands concert as part of the University of Auckland, School of Music Emerging Artists series. Performing New Zealand music was a feature of this concert and Leonie Holmes’ A Tedious Brief Scene: Bottoms Dance, a piece she specially rearranged for the group, was premiered. New Zealand composer David Hamilton has also written three works dedicated to this group. The Quartet is the recipient of the University of Auckland Carl and Alberta Rosenfeldt Prize in Chamber Music for 2011 and 2012, and the 2011 Auckland Chamber Music Society Competition Scholarship. Their performances have been recorded by Radio NZ Concert and broadcast on Asia Downunder (TVNZ).

Estrella were the winners of the 6th Pettman/ROSL ARTS International Scholarship for a New Zealand Chamber Ensemble. As a result, Somi has recently toured various parts of the UK over six weeks giving concerts at prestigious venues in England, Wales and Scotland, including the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She attended the Dartington International Summer School, also receiving lessons from leading teachers at the Guildhall School of Music and Royal College of Music in London.

Aside from chamber music, Somi is active in the field of accompanying and collaborative music. She is currently the official accompanist for the choirs at Diocesan School for Girls, Auckland Girls’ Choir, North Shore Cameratas and North Shore Chorale. She has had repetiteuring work with NBR Opera, Opera Factory, Opera Studio and Auckland University Voice Class, where she played for the 2010 Production of Carmina Burana.

Somi was an intern for the New Zealand Opera School held in Wanganui in January of 2012 and next year she will be attending again as an official pianist. She was the 2011 recipient of the Auckland Centennial Music Festival Scholarship and Auckland University’s Bernhardt and Anne Harrison Scholarship for piano. She also received the Margaret Doone Memorial Piano Sonata Scholarship As the winner of IRMT’s 2011 Sonata Competition. She performed Rachmaninov’s Variations in the Theme of Paganini at the Town Hall with the University Orchestra as a finalist in the annual University Graduation Gala Concerto Competition.

The 2012 recipient of the Anne Bellam Scholarship, Auckland Centennial Music Festival Scholarship and Auckland University’s Bernhardt and Anne Harrison Scholarship, Somi has finished her Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours and is continuing her studies with a Masters in Music majoring in Performance Piano with her teacher Rae de Lisle. She received the Encourgaement Award at this year’s Kerikeri International Piano Festival She will be featuring as a soloist with the Manukau Symphony Orchestra at the end of this month for Saint-Saen’s Carnival of the Animals.